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Gorditas

Gordita in Spanish means “little fat one” and is used endearingly. After eating these I can see why! They are fried little corn cakes that you slice open and stuff with as much filling as you can. I kind of think of them as Mexican Sloppy Joes! But classier. I chose to fill them with a beef roast. I added a heaping cereal spoonful of chili paste and mixed it with the juices from slow cooking my roast. I also chopped and boiled one potato so that it was fork tender – like potato salad. Combine the shredded roast, potato, and sauce. You can add pretty much any meat – sauce – veg – rice combo you’d like. I’ve even seen recipes that call for chili to stuff them. So seriously, anything. If you choose chicken or pork, I’d suggest salsa verde – its just a perfect flavor combo. And be sure to put a big ol dollop of sour cream in there too – the cool creaminess is a nice contrast to the warm, salty, crispy yet soft gordita shell.

Add the dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk them together. Stir in the lard and warm water. Work it together until a soft ball forms. Cover with a towel and let it rest for up to 20 minutes.

Divide the dough into 12 balls – they will be about the size of a golf ball.

(Go ahead and start warming that veg oil up in a pan.)

Flatten them (one at a time) to about 1/4 inch thick; they’ll be 4 – 5 inches in diameter. I just used my hands, but you could also use the bottom of a saucer to smash it down and get it flat.

Place them onto a 350 F griddle (NOT the veg oil pan). Cook about 3 minutes on each side – they should be golden and starting to get crisp.

Let them sit on a paper towel lined plate. When they are all done, start putting them into the oil – about 1 minute per side. They’ll puff up just a little and get crispy on the outside while remaining soft and bread like on the inside.

Lay them on fresh paper towels to absorb the excess grease. Lay another towel across the top to keep them warm.

Once cooled, cut a slit through the middle of the bread. Don’t cut it too much or you’ll end up with a sandwich. You want to create a “pocket” that you can stuff with all your fabulous fillings.

My filling:

I hope you try these out. It looks like a lot of steps, and it kind of is. Definitely not a 30-minute meal! But its pretty simple and well worth the work. We don’t have them very often. I don’t really like frying foods for my family. A little here ‘n there is a nice treat though.